Director Named to New Museum

Philomath, Ore. – Former Oregon Arts Commission Executive Director Christine D’Arcy has joined the Benton County Historical Society’s campaign for a new Corvallis museum.

D’Arcy comes to the Society with one of the state’s most impressive resumés in public policy for arts and culture. She served as Executive Director of the Oregon Arts Commission from 1994 to November 2013. She conceived of and initiated the Arts Commission’s nationally recognized Arts Build Communities program. From 1998 through 2001, she led a team of statewide partners on the development of the ground-breaking Oregon Cultural Trust, managing the work of two Cultural Task Forces, one appointed by the Governor, the second by the Governor and Legislature. In September 2003, she also became Executive Director of the Oregon Cultural Trust whose operations merged with the Arts Commission. Under her leadership, the Trust raised over $32 million to support Oregon’s arts, heritage and humanities.

Prior to her work in Oregon, D’Arcy was the Executive Director and Visual Arts Director of the Alaska State Council on the Arts. She served on the boards of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the Western States Arts Federation. She received a BA in Art History from Skidmore College and attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and Planning, specializing in historic preservation.

She has a keen interest in arts and cultural policy and issues related to individual artists. D’Arcy is now working as an arts and culture consultant who works with state arts agencies, local governments and arts, heritage and cultural nonprofits.

Historical Society President Neal Peterson said of D’Arcy’s participation, “We are very excited to have a person of Chris’ knowledge and experience joining us for the next phase of our fundraising efforts.” The society is raising just over $9 million to build a new museum and cultural center at the corner of SW 2nd and Adams in Corvallis. The new facility is set to open in January of 2017.